1 Feb 25 - ORCA Saga Eastern Med Cruise Day 13 - Back To Turkey

Our fifth shore run on the Saga Eastern Mediterranean Cruise was to Antalya on the Turkish South coast. We awoke to find we were tied up in the harbour, so there was no chance of any surveying. However, we could still watch the sunrise.

Sunrise from Antalya port

I've been to Turkey on two previous trips. The first time was a three week late Spring trip around the country in 1986 with Dave Unsworth, Mark Ponsford and Nigel Goodgame. I returned for a week-long trip in late May/early June 15 with Nigel Jones, Simon Ingram and Bob Marchant to the South to see the Brown Fish Owls that had been discovered a few years earlier. It also allowed me to see Radde's Accentor, which I missed on the first trip, and Iraq Babbler, which had expanded into the Birecik area in the previous decade. As a consequence, there is no chance of any World Ticks for me in Turkey and nothing of note close to Antalya, that would warrant a trip to try and see.

The hills behind the port looked good in the early morning sun

Looking at the hills West of the port

It didn't take long for the early morning glow of the hills to disappear.

It didn't take long for the early morning glow of the hills to disappear

Snow on the distant mountains

Another view of the coastal hills

Turkish Frigate TCG Kemalreis (F 247): Antalya port is also a naval base

A visiting French Frigate: This is the Commandant Birot (F796)

With no interesting Birding options, I teamed up with Karen, Terry & Lexie to visit the Lower Duden Waterfalls, where there are waterfalls that fall into the sea. Due to a translating error we ended up at the Upper Duden Waterfalls, which are about ten miles further upriver. There is an uninspiring park near the entrance. However, the waterfalls themselves are quite scenic, as the locals have carved tunnels into the rocks to allow better views of the waterfalls.

Lexie checking out this great phone box

There were some good views of the waterfalls and river

Looking from one of the tunnels under the waterfalls

Inside of the tunnels

Looking back on one of the waterfalls

The river

On the lower part of the waterfalls, we found a cave with a small hollow. There were a group of Egyptian Fruit Bats roosting in the hollow. Not all were asleep, as we could hear them chattering to each other.

The Egyptian Fruit Bat cave: It was good to see a sign warning people not to disturb them

There are two Egyptian Fruit Bats in this photo: Their range includes Egypt, other coastal countries around the Eastern Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, as well as, East, South & West Africa

Egyptian Fruit Bats: I reckon there are more than five individuals in this photo

Turkish Moth sp.

Grey Wagtail: This is the nominate cinerea subspecies which occurs from the Canary Islands, Europe & north Africa, East to Siberia & Japan. There are two other subspecies which are restricted to the Azores & Madeira, respectively

House Sparrow: This is the biblicus subspecies which occurs from Cyprus to Turkey, the Levant, North Saudi Arabia, Iraq & West Iran

We had time for a quick coffee before we had to leave. There was a guy making and selling small glass ornaments by the entrance. He was very talented and I couldn't resist buying a couple of small glass penguins.

He had a good way of attracting attention to his table by making glass ornaments

He was making another penguin body

Our time at the waterfalls was up, so we headed back to Antalya and got the taxi driver to drop us close to the centre. As the centre was several miles from the port, Saga had laid on regular coach shuttles back to the port. First, we decided to explore the town centre.

After a short walk we reached the edge of the old town walls

A mosque near the old walls

This looks like another old small mosque

The sun set well before dark, due to the hills near the port.

The setting sun was impressive

There were good shades to the hills as the sun dropped

Despite the sun dropping, there was still light to look for Cetaceans once we left the port. We didn't see any Cetaceans, but there was a large flock of over one hundred and fifty Yellow-legged Gulls. We were sailing for Rhodes, which I will cover in the next Blog Post.

Despite the sun dropping, there was still light to look for Cetaceans once we left the port

31 Jan 25 - ORCA Saga Eastern Med Cruise Day 12 - The Paphos Archaeological Park

In the previous Blog Post, I covered some of the Birds and Butterflies we saw as we walked around the outside of the Paphos Archaeological Park. Finally, we entered the town. Before I reached the entrance gate, I saw this fantastic building which turned out to be offices for a local property developer. There is a similar-themed hotel nearby which is full of similar murals depicting Paphos's history. This building helps to bring to life how the original Greek buildings might have been decorated.

A local property developer's offices

This is excellent artwork

More artwork

Another excellent painting

Paphos has a lot of decent-looking gardens within the urban area

A street view: The locals were keeping the streets clean, which was a real contrast to the filthy streets of Palermo

There were a few common species hanging around the town.

Woodpigeon: This is the nominate palumbus subspecies which occurs from Europe to West Siberia, East Turkey & Iraq. They winters in Southern Europe & North Africa

Hooded Crow: This is the sharpii subspecies which occurs from Italy to the Balkans, Asia Minor, North Iran & Kazakhstan

A map of the Paphos Archaeological Park

Perhaps the most bizarre sign on the gents toilet that I've seen: Especially, as it is so nearly spelt as Anti Pee

Sardinian Warbler: This is the nominate melanocephala subspecies which occurs in Southern Europe, the Canary & Mediterranean islands, West Turkey & North Africa

Sardinian Warbler: I was pleased with the last photo given how skulky Sardinian Warblers normally are. But this second individual was more showy

Sardinian Warbler: Then it became even more photogenic

Sardinian Warbler: Even in a bare-leaved bush, they can hide fairly well

This Troodos Lizard was just inside the Archaeological Park. It's clearly had a lucky escape when it lost its tail.

Troodos Lizard: This common and widespread Lizard is endemic to Cyprus

The ruins are excellent and well worth a visit. There are some superb mosaics inside buildings that had been constructed to protect and display them. It would have been good to have a few more signs explaining what each of the ruins are.

Without signs, it is difficult to explain much about the ruins

I suspect gravel has been laid in some areas to protect surfaces under the gravel

The remains of a water pipe

These buildings date from a period when most Ancient Britons were still living in simple wooden huts

It was well worth looking in the buildings as they contained some excellent mosaics.

Mosaic in the House of Aion: The mosaic in this building got its name from a depiction of Aion, the god of time and eternity

Mosaic in the House of Aion

Mosaic in the House of Aion: The level of detail is exceptional

Mosaic in the Villa of Theseus: This was built in the second half of the second Century AD on the ruins of older houses from the Greek and Roman periods

Mosaic in the House of Dionysus: This mosaic showed a big hunting scene

Mosaic in the House of Dionysus: The knew about Lions which still occurred in the Levant and Egypt in those days

Mosaic in the House of Dionysus: They would have known about Tigers since the days of Alexander the Great

These pillars give a sense of scale to some of the buildings

This stone container was several feet across in size

Raised walkways ensured visitors didn't damaging the ruins

Heading towards the Paphos Lighthouse

Some of the buildings had deep basements

These are presumably underground storage rooms

There are large parts of the site which look like they haven't been excavated

The Paphos Lighthouse: This was built when Cyprus was under British administration in 1888

Lexie with her ORCA parents: Some of the passengers through Karen & Terry were Lexie's parents, which became a running joke during the trip

Back on the waterfront

Another tender run from the shore

It had been a really enjoyable visit to Paphos. Overnight we sailed for Antalya in Turkey.